Sportsbooks That Accept Prepaid Gift Cards

We’ve known for a long time that the one issue that keeps many Americans from enjoying legal online gambling, including betting on their favorite sports or teams, is the fact that they simply don’t want to turn over information regarding their financial institutions or bank accounts. This we can understand. But prepaid Visa, Mastercard or American Express-branded gift cards might be the solution to this dilemma, and quality legal online sites have begun accepting these cards.

At USAOnlineSportsbooks.com, we’re always looking at ways to make betting on your favorite sports more accessible, more fun and more secure. Today we’ll discuss these prepaid cards, where you can get them, how much they cost, how they work and who accepts them.

Benefits Of Using Prepaid Gift Cards To Deposit

Re-Usable - Many of these cards can be “reloaded” – so if you’re planning a trip and don’t want to carry a wad of cash, you can pack the card and go. Because these are actual Visa, Mastercard or American Express products, they are accepted internationally – and that often will include your favorite sports betting site.

Point Of Purchase - These prepaid cards can be purchased online, and often you’ll find them in your neighborhood Walgreen’s, Wal-Mart or convenience store. By paying a small upfront fee, you have essentially created an interest-free account with which to open your sports betting account online.

Drawbacks Of Using Prepaid Cards

Potential Fees For Purchase - Well, of course, there’s always a downside. But with prepaid cards, there’s really only one: The card costs money to activate initially. If you use your debit card to fund your sportsbook account, of course, there is generally also an attached fee, so you can consider this to be a wash. (Also, please note that some sites may be charged a small percentage for accepting your card, in which case it is likely that this fee will be passed on to you. This, however, is uncommon.)

Acceptance Rate Of Prepaid Cards At Online Sportsbooks

We hate to use the terms “guaranteed” or “100%”, but this is a scenario that allows us to assure you that you can use prepaid Visa and Mastercard, and usually American Express, cards at virtually any legal sports book you select – with one caveat. You must first call customer service at the site where you wish to place your bet, and ask them, “Which of these cards will you accept?” The Customer Service representative will let you know which card will work at that particular site, and give you any information that applies to the use of that card, i.e., fees that may be passed on to you. Buy the card, set up your account, and place your bet. Then turn on the television and cheer on your team or whatever team you are betting on that day.

Best Sportsbooks That Accept Gift Cards

As we mentioned, quality, legal sportsbooks will accept your prepaid VISA, Mastercard or Amex, if you call and verify which sportsbook deposit methods work for them; some may take them all, others are more selective. Three of our favorites are reviewed here, with the corresponding requirements and restrictions.

Bovada - VVISA Gift Cards Accepted For Deposits + $250 Welcome Bonus!

Bovada doesn’t offer the largest number of deposit types for bettors, but the methods they do have are all reliable and effective. Of these, one of the more popular ways to get your money loaded up onto Bovada is to use a VISA prepaid gift card. However, just as a point of clarification, you must be sure that whatever VISA card you choose is good for international purchases, as not all gift cards are.

If you have any questions about how to deposit with your prepaid VISA gift card, or if you run into any snags when attempting to do so, you can always contact Bovada’s friendly customer service at 1-888-263-0000, or you can simply email them or request assistance from their live chat, 24/7. Once you’ve deposited successfully, you’ll be able to redeem the site’s 50% match bonus worth up to $250 in free plays, too, so you can start your betting off on the right foot.

BetOnline is famous for having one of the most varied, option-packed national and international sportsbooks on the Internet, and the site’s millions of US members will attest to the quality of its services. Another way that BetOnline continues to lead the industry, of course, is in the number of deposit options it offers. Members at BetOnline can get up to $1000 in deposit bonuses when they sign up for the first time and make their initial deposit via a credit-branded gift card (promo code: “BOL1000”).

BetOnline supports gift cards of all major brands, including VISA, Mastercard, and American Express. Of these, it is easiest (and arguably cheapest) to go with VISA, but regardless of which provider you choose, you will need to make certain that the card’s funds are good for international purchases. BetOnline is an offshore sportsbook, remember!

SportsBetting is the only major offshore sportsbook that gives BetOnline a run for its money (or, rather, a run for YOUR money) when it comes to deposit options. No matter how much or how little you wish to transfer to your account – and no matter what banking or transfer method you wish to use – SportsBetting has something for you. Naturally, that means that the site supports the full gamut of credit gift cards, too.

Of the available options (VISA, Mastercard, AmEx), VISA is the most popular, and the method has a success rate of 100%, which is the primary reason that bettors opt to use gift cards in the first place. Just remember that you cannot use these cards to collect your payouts, so you’ll have to claim your winnings via check, money order, or bank wire. New members who sign up and deposit via gift card today are eligible to receive SportsBetting’s $1000 deposit-match bonus (50%) – simply type in promo code “SB1000” when making your first deposit, and you’ll immediately attain high roller status!

MyBookie caters to a decidedly American audience and is laser-focused on providing its hundreds of thousands of members with a US-friendly betting experience. The site does away with international wagering and hosts odds and lines only for the most popular American sports, like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NCAA, NHL, and UFC. In line with this approach, MyBookie also gives its US members easy, accessible ways to fund their accounts.

After Bitcoin, perhaps the most popular way to load up your MyBookie betting account is to use a prepaid gift card. The site supports three different gift card platforms: Visa Vanilla, Green Dot, and NetSpend. Obtaining a gift card from any of these platforms is quick, cheap, and easy, and they are among the only sportsbook payment methods that are 100% guaranteed to go through on the first try, every time. New members who use one of these card options to make their first MyBookie deposits can accept the site’s 50% match bonus for up to $1000 in free plays (promo code: “MYB50”).

Clearly, the prepaid card is a viable option for those who don’t have a bank account, or simply want to keep their banking information separate from their gaming activity. If that includes you, there are a couple of things you should know:

Prepaid Card Sportsbook Deposit Fees

Some of the top offshore sportsbooks do not tack fees onto credit and debit deposits, while others do. Typically, however, these fees will always be comparatively tiny and should not ever affect your bottom line or bankroll in any meaningful way. However, it is important to note that, because prepaid gift-type credit cards are not actually tied to your bank or account in the same way as traditional credit and debit cards, you may incur additional costs when using these to make deposits into your sports betting account of choice. For example, activation and load fees for a card purchased online (or at a convenience store or other retail vendor) can often add up to as much as $10.00 or more, with other fees potentially applying when you reload the card. Just be sure to factor all this into your accounting when you kick off your sports betting career.

Sportsbook Payouts With Gift / Prepaid Cards

Sorry – not going to happen. Payouts and withdrawals cannot be made via any card for U.S. citizens, whether it’s credit or debit, prepaid or a gift card from a bank or credit union. Legal sports betting sites are also limited in other ways, so if you open your account with a prepaid card, it’s likely the only way to make withdrawals or get payouts of winnings is through a check or bank wire, which will usually take a little time (up to two weeks).

Built In Security Of Using Prepaid Gift Cards To Deposit

No one can question the security of the prepaid card method of depositing funds into your sports betting account. You’ve not only set up your account by providing your personal information, you’ve also called the site to get permission to use the prepaid card. And since you’ve given no bank account information, the only funds that are at risk are the funds with which you wager. If you’re unwilling to transition to using Bitcoin to fund your sports wagering account, prepaid gift cards from Visa, Mastercard, or American Express (where approved) provide the safest, most convenient ways to transfer money to use for sports betting.

Are Prepaid Cards The Best Way To Deposit Into A Sportsbook?

As we mentioned early on, some people are more security-conscious than others and simply won’t share their bank account information or credit card number with anyone. Others are a little more trusting but don’t want to tie their bank account funds to their legal online hobby. Others who enjoy online gaming may not have a bank account, and therefore not have a viable alternative choice.

For all of these folks, prepaid gift cards are a logical way to enjoy legal sports betting online, for now. But laws are changing these days almost as fast as technology does, and as the online gaming world continues to grow, and sports betting – the oldest form of gambling known – becomes more accepted as a legal form of entertainment, the methods used to accommodate players will also change. Stay tuned to USAOnlineSportsbooks.com for all the details on new and alternative payment methods – there is certainly more to come!